To link to the entire object, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed the entire object, paste this HTML in websiteTo link to this page, paste this link in email, IM or documentTo embed this page, paste this HTML in website

The main entrance to the citadel is known as the sally port ( 1)
and is the primary entrance to Fort Macon. The three sets of
original doors date from 1843- 44. Directly ahead is the inner
court known as the parade ground. On either side of the parade
are vaulted rooms known as casemates.
To the left of the sally port are the rooms that make up the restored
section. These rooms appear as all the fort’s casemates originally
would have in the 1800s. The windows, doors, shutters, wooden
fl ooring and ornate trim have been duplicated exactly from copies
of the fort’s original plans. These rooms house restored soldier
quarters and the Fort Macon Museum, with exhibits detailing dif-ferent
periods of the fort’s history.
Casemate 2 was the fort’s guardhouse until the War Between
the States. Thereafter, it was an offi ce for the commandant or
adjutant. Casemate 3 has been used at different times as an
offi ce, offi cers’ quarters and storage.
Gunpowder magazines ( M) are located in the angles under the
stairways. They were used to store gunpowder and are protected
by extra thick walls, as well as by the stairways themselves. Under
the stairs are underground cisterns for drinking water. The water
is provided by natural rainwater that fi lters through the soil above
the casemates, passes through zinc pipes in the walls between
each casemate, and fl ows through underground channels at the
foot of the parade wall to reach the
fort’s cisterns.
Casemates 4- 8 were usually
used as officers’ quarters and
constituted what would be termed
on many military posts as the
“ Offi cers’ Row.” At other times,
Casemate 4 was used as an of-fi
cers’ mess. Casemate 6 was
used in the early 1870s as the post
library and school, where a private
of the garrison taught the children
of the families living on the post.
Casemates 4 and 5 have been
restored to show examples of en-listed
men’s and offi cers’ quarters
from the period of the War Between
the States.
The gunpowder magazine adjacent
to Casemate 8 has been restored
inside to show all three of the fort’s
magazines as they would have originally appeared. Directly
in front of the doorway of Casemate 8 is a restored hot shot
furnace ( H), which was used to heat cannonballs until they were
red hot. The cannonballs were used to set wooden warships on
fi re during an attack. Casemate 8A was used as a kitchen, as
a storeroom and as the commanding offi cer’s offi ce in World
War II.
Casemate 9 was used for offi ces, as soldiers’ quarters during
the War Between the States and as a company mess room in
the 1870s. Casemate 10 was also used either for offi ces,
soldiers’ quarters or storage. Today, Casemate 10 is a restored
World War II barracks.
Casemate 11 is the main postern, which was used to provide
access to the gun emplacements of the main channel fronts via
the bridge over the ditch. During the time the fort served as
a prison ( 1865- 76), the postern was also used as a prisoners’
messroom.
A massive brick baking oven stood in the center of Casemate
12 until the U. S. Army demolished it during the World War II
occupation of the fort. A replica oven now stands in its place.
Casemate 13 was the main garrison kitchen.
Casemates 14 through 18 have always been used as quarters
for enlisted men. Casemate 18 was also used as an ordnance
storeroom for ammunition during the War Between the States.
The two small rooms behind the magazine were also used to
store ammunition. One of them ( 19A) is a postern that provides
access to the ditch and counterfi re galleries under the covertway,
or outer wall.
Casemates 19 through 24 have been used at different times
as offi ces, storerooms, enlisted men’s quarters and prison cells.
When the fort was used as a prison, these rooms were fi tted with
iron bars and prison doors. Although intended to hold up to 200
inmates, the largest prison population at the fort was 120 men.
The remaining rooms were used frequently for other purposes.
Casemate 23 was used as a kitchen and mess room during the
War Between the States and features a restored cooking range.
Casemate 24 is a restored commissary storeroom.
Casemate 25 was used for ordnance storage, or commissary
and quartermaster storage, through the years of the War Between
the States. Afterward, the casemate was used as a guardroom.
Casemate 26 originally housed prisoners of war and was used
after the War Between the States for quartermaster or commis-sary
storage. Both of these rooms currently house maintenance
equipment and are closed to the public.
Surrounding Fort Macon’s citadel is the sunken area known as
the ditch, which was formerly deeper and could be turned into
a moat by fl ooding it with sea water from a nearby canal. The
moat posed an obstacle to an enemy assault. Across the ditch is
the fort’s outer wall of defense known as the covertway. Notice
the rooms ( C) under the covertway that look down the avenues
of the ditch. These are counterfi re galleries from which the
fort’s defenders could open fi re with cannons and small arms to
annihilate enemy attackers trapped in the ditch.
Tour the covertway or the top of the citadel, where most of the
fort’s original cannon emplacements still remain and from which
excellent views of the ocean, inlet and surrounding area can be
obtained. An attendant is on duty during the summer months to
answer questions. Enjoy your visit to Fort Macon
Photograph of Fort Macon in 1867 showing U. S. soldiers drilling while prisoners watch from behind the bars of
their cells.
Guide to Fort Macon
Michael F. Easley
Governor
William G. Ross Jr.
Secretary
The N. C. Division of Parks and Recreation is a division of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The main entrance to the citadel is known as the sally port ( 1)
and is the primary entrance to Fort Macon. The three sets of
original doors date from 1843- 44. Directly ahead is the inner
court known as the parade ground. On either side of the parade
are vaulted rooms known as casemates.
To the left of the sally port are the rooms that make up the restored
section. These rooms appear as all the fort’s casemates originally
would have in the 1800s. The windows, doors, shutters, wooden
fl ooring and ornate trim have been duplicated exactly from copies
of the fort’s original plans. These rooms house restored soldier
quarters and the Fort Macon Museum, with exhibits detailing dif-ferent
periods of the fort’s history.
Casemate 2 was the fort’s guardhouse until the War Between
the States. Thereafter, it was an offi ce for the commandant or
adjutant. Casemate 3 has been used at different times as an
offi ce, offi cers’ quarters and storage.
Gunpowder magazines ( M) are located in the angles under the
stairways. They were used to store gunpowder and are protected
by extra thick walls, as well as by the stairways themselves. Under
the stairs are underground cisterns for drinking water. The water
is provided by natural rainwater that fi lters through the soil above
the casemates, passes through zinc pipes in the walls between
each casemate, and fl ows through underground channels at the
foot of the parade wall to reach the
fort’s cisterns.
Casemates 4- 8 were usually
used as officers’ quarters and
constituted what would be termed
on many military posts as the
“ Offi cers’ Row.” At other times,
Casemate 4 was used as an of-fi
cers’ mess. Casemate 6 was
used in the early 1870s as the post
library and school, where a private
of the garrison taught the children
of the families living on the post.
Casemates 4 and 5 have been
restored to show examples of en-listed
men’s and offi cers’ quarters
from the period of the War Between
the States.
The gunpowder magazine adjacent
to Casemate 8 has been restored
inside to show all three of the fort’s
magazines as they would have originally appeared. Directly
in front of the doorway of Casemate 8 is a restored hot shot
furnace ( H), which was used to heat cannonballs until they were
red hot. The cannonballs were used to set wooden warships on
fi re during an attack. Casemate 8A was used as a kitchen, as
a storeroom and as the commanding offi cer’s offi ce in World
War II.
Casemate 9 was used for offi ces, as soldiers’ quarters during
the War Between the States and as a company mess room in
the 1870s. Casemate 10 was also used either for offi ces,
soldiers’ quarters or storage. Today, Casemate 10 is a restored
World War II barracks.
Casemate 11 is the main postern, which was used to provide
access to the gun emplacements of the main channel fronts via
the bridge over the ditch. During the time the fort served as
a prison ( 1865- 76), the postern was also used as a prisoners’
messroom.
A massive brick baking oven stood in the center of Casemate
12 until the U. S. Army demolished it during the World War II
occupation of the fort. A replica oven now stands in its place.
Casemate 13 was the main garrison kitchen.
Casemates 14 through 18 have always been used as quarters
for enlisted men. Casemate 18 was also used as an ordnance
storeroom for ammunition during the War Between the States.
The two small rooms behind the magazine were also used to
store ammunition. One of them ( 19A) is a postern that provides
access to the ditch and counterfi re galleries under the covertway,
or outer wall.
Casemates 19 through 24 have been used at different times
as offi ces, storerooms, enlisted men’s quarters and prison cells.
When the fort was used as a prison, these rooms were fi tted with
iron bars and prison doors. Although intended to hold up to 200
inmates, the largest prison population at the fort was 120 men.
The remaining rooms were used frequently for other purposes.
Casemate 23 was used as a kitchen and mess room during the
War Between the States and features a restored cooking range.
Casemate 24 is a restored commissary storeroom.
Casemate 25 was used for ordnance storage, or commissary
and quartermaster storage, through the years of the War Between
the States. Afterward, the casemate was used as a guardroom.
Casemate 26 originally housed prisoners of war and was used
after the War Between the States for quartermaster or commis-sary
storage. Both of these rooms currently house maintenance
equipment and are closed to the public.
Surrounding Fort Macon’s citadel is the sunken area known as
the ditch, which was formerly deeper and could be turned into
a moat by fl ooding it with sea water from a nearby canal. The
moat posed an obstacle to an enemy assault. Across the ditch is
the fort’s outer wall of defense known as the covertway. Notice
the rooms ( C) under the covertway that look down the avenues
of the ditch. These are counterfi re galleries from which the
fort’s defenders could open fi re with cannons and small arms to
annihilate enemy attackers trapped in the ditch.
Tour the covertway or the top of the citadel, where most of the
fort’s original cannon emplacements still remain and from which
excellent views of the ocean, inlet and surrounding area can be
obtained. An attendant is on duty during the summer months to
answer questions. Enjoy your visit to Fort Macon
Photograph of Fort Macon in 1867 showing U. S. soldiers drilling while prisoners watch from behind the bars of
their cells.
Guide to Fort Macon
Michael F. Easley
Governor
William G. Ross Jr.
Secretary
The N. C. Division of Parks and Recreation is a division of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources.